RAT Skateboard Tour – Dallas Stop Re-Cap

DALLAS, TEXAS – May 19, 2009 – Some of the best young skateboarders in North Texas gathered outside Sun and Ski Sports at Grapevine Mills last Sunday to compete in the first stop of the newly created RAT Skateboard Tour presented by Texas Scion of Grapevine.

Originally scheduled for Saturday, May 16th, the contest was pushed to Sunday due to some crazy weather conditions that hit hard around 3:00am on Saturday morning and never let up…but as they say in Texas, if you don’t like the weather…wait five minutes and it will change. It took a little more then five minutes, but by Sunday morning, the sun was shining , the skies were blue and it was GAME-ON! The skaters where chomping at the bit to ride, the crowd gathered around the mini-ramp, the Monster Energy Drinks were flowing and the music was pumping out from under the Skullcandy tent with DJ Joey B.

The event featured a mini-ramp competition as well as a street “Best Trick” format on a select obstacle (which will change at each stop of the tour). The action kicked off a little after 11:30am with Heat #1 of qualifying on the mini-ramp. Designed and built by Oliver Bradley along with Mike Crum and the crew at Push Productions, the ramp was impressive. Measuring 30’x30′ with five and half foot walls and a seven foot extension, it was anything but “mini”. This was the first time that the ramp had been fully assembled since it was constructed at the end of April and it was worth the wait.

By all accounts, the first stop of the RAT skateboard series was a huge success. It turned out to be a great family affair with killer weather, great crowds and some insane amateur skating! Congratulations to all of the competitors for putting on a great show and to our overall winners – Ke’Chaud Johnson, Edward Montes and Josh Hurley on the mini-ramp and Ke’Chaud, Mark Roberts and Rowdy Altum in Street “Best Trick”. The crowd also got to see pro rider and local legend, Jon Comer skate the new ramp set-up. The overall vibe was good!

Special thanks to all of our sponsors and partners who made it happen including our presenting sponsor – Texas Scion of Grapevine, our retail partner Sun and Ski Sports, Monster Energy Drink, FUEL TV and their local affiliate – Time Warner Cable, Kicker Audio, Skullcandy. Element and PUSH Distributions brands – GUAPO, Hype, and City Stars.

For a complete overview of how the day unfolded as well as round-by-round results and plenty of great photo’s, go to www.SkateTheRAT.com.

Next up the RAT heads to Austin, Texas on June 6th for stop number two. This time we are taking the action to the Round Rock Skate Park which is a great new facility just North of town. Check it out at www.roundrocktexas.gov/skatepark. Online registration is open at www.skatetherat.com and judging from the feedback we received last weekend…the field is sure to fill up quickly.

Stay tuned to FUEL TV for upcoming coverage of the RAT’s first stop on the Weekly Update Show!